Detection of O(3P(J)) atoms formed by reaction, Al+O2--> AlO+O under crossed-beam condition.

The vacuum ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence technique was employed to detect the oxygen atoms formed by the reaction, Al+O(2)--> AlO+O. The measurements were carried out under the crossed-beam condition at 12.2 kJmol of collision energy. The relative populations of three spin-orbit states of O((3)P(J)) were determined to be 3.8, 1.0, and 0.2 for J=2, 1, and 0, respectively. They show nonstatistical populations, i.e., more population in O((3)P(2)) and less population in O((3)P(0)) than the statistical expectation. These populations were almost identical for two Al beam conditions where the relative concentrations of two spin-orbit states of Al, (2)P(1/2), and (2)P(3/2), are different. These results suggest that the reaction of Al with O(2) proceeds via an intermediate complex where the memory of the initial spin-orbit state is lost. Deviation from the statistical population of O((3)P(J)) implies the occurrence of the interaction among potential surfaces in the exit channel.